Gardexian Stone Snake
The Gardexian Stone Snake is a giant eel- like creature that can only be found on Gardiex Biology A typical Gardexian Stone Snake can grow up to 45 feet in length and weigh over 3000 pounds. Their eyes are sensitive to light due to the depth they normally live in, which can be up to 65,000 fathoms. Despite this, they use echolocation to detect prey and intruders in shallow waters or on the surface when food is scarce. Most of their other organ systems resemble closely to snakes and aquatic reptiles, although their stone like hide dulls their nervous system down to a level where they can only feel pain on the inside of their bodies or if something succeeds in removing their outer hide. Evolution suggests they developed the rock-hard hide they have been named for from their ancestors: a prehistoric species of eels that lived in deep, high pressure areas of the planet's oceans over 100,000 years ago. The hide is tough enough to withstand the pressure of deepsea life, as well as fishing harpoons should any be attempted to be fired at it. Reproduction cycles occur every late winter for the species. A female lays a clutch of about 10 to 20 eggs for its mate to fertilize. Once the eggs are fertilized, the male leaves the female for life, as choosing a mate does not last until death. Eggs take about half a year on Gardiex to mature and hatch. The offspring remain by their mother until they reach the age of 3 years. That's when they depart from their mother's safety and live lives on their own. It is unclear what the snake's average lifespan is, although it is believed to be long after a tsunami washed ashore a large male Stone Snake in 2471. Carbon dating revealed the specimen taken from the snake to be just over 425 years old, which is considered middle aged for the species after further study. With special permission from the Enviromental Department of Gardiex, a joint operation of Asari scientists and Salarian biologists were able to subdue and capture a adolescent Stone Snake at the age of 23, and took it to a nature preserve on Sur'Kesh specifically designed for deepsea organisms. After about a Salarian generation of research, data previously unknown of the snake's survival habits were revealed, ushering in a new fad of study in the world of marine biology. Locations and Habits As previously stated, the snake is only found on Gardiex, specifically in deep points of the planet's oceans. More specifically, they usually live north of the planet's equator, waters there tending to be deeper than most of the planet. A single snake takes up a cylindrical area to itself 200 feet in diameter, from the water's surface to the sea floor. Anyone or anything that gets within its territory outside of mating season and is detected with the creature's echolocation is considered either hostile or prey. When a Stone Snake fights another, they try to coil around one another, using their teeth, which are powerful and sharp enough to pierce tank armor, to bite through their opponent's hide. The victor kills its victim, then claims the area it came from, widening its cylinder of territory. When a boat or ship enters it's territory, there usually isn't much defense against one. The snake's sheer size and strength gives it the ability to coil around and drag or sink most Gardexian watercraft under the water. Fishermen that know they will be operating near Stone Snake territory are required and supplied by the military equip their boats with heavy weapons such as grenade launchers. Due to enviromental regulations, killing a Stone Snake can result in a fine of 100 credits or more, so stun grenades are equipped to deal with the snakes at sea. These weapons mainly stun the snake or can knock it unconscious if fire is focused to the head or upper body, while ordinary grenades can cause damage and trauma to the snake if it is not already killed. Category:Wildlife